Eighthly, Influence of the doctrine of justification into the first Reformation — Ad- vantages unto the woi-ld by that Reformation — State of the consciences of men under the Papacy, with respect unto justification before God — Alterations made therein by the light of this doctrine, though not received — Alterations in the Pagan unbelieving world by the introduction of Christianity — Design and suc- cess of the first reformers herein — Attempts for reconciliation with the Papists in this doctrine, and their success — Remainders of the ignorance of tlie truth in the Roinan church — LTnavoidable consequences of the corruption of this doc- tiine ........... 64
CHAPTER I.
Justification liy faith generally acknowledged — The meaning of it perverted — The nature and use of faith in justification proposed to consideration— Distinctions about it waived — A twofold faith of the gospel expressed in the Scripture — Faith that is not justifying. Acts viii. 13; John ii. 23, 24; Luke viii. 13; Matt. vii. 22, 23 — Historical faith ; whence it is so called, and the natuic of it — Degrees of assent in it— Justification not ascribed unto any degree of it — A calumny ob- viated— The causes of true saving faith — Conviction of sin previous unto it —
CONTENTS. V
Pnge
The nature of legal conviction, and its effects — Arguments to prove it antecedent unto faith — Without the consideration of it, the true nature of faith not to be understood — Tlie order and relation of the law and gospel, Rom. i. 17 — In- stance of Adam — Eifects of conviction — Internal : Uisplicency and sorrow ; fear of punishment ; desire of deliverance — External: Abstinence from sin ; perform- ance of duties; reformation of life — Not conditions of justification ; not for- mal dispositions unto it; not moral preparations for it — The order of God in justification — The proper object of justifying faith — Not all divine verity equally; proved by sundry arguments — The pardon of our own sins, whether the first object of faith — The Lord Christ in the work of mediation, as the ordi- nance of God for the recovery of lost sinners, the proper object of justifying faith — The position explained and proved, Acts x. 43, xvi. 31, iv. 12; Luke xxiv. 25-27; John i. 12, iii. 1(5, 36, vi. 29, 47, vii. 38; Acts xxvi. 18; CoL ii. 6; Rom iii. 24, 25; 1 Cor. i. 30; 2 Cor. v. 21 ; Eph. i. 7, 8; 2 Cor. v. 19 . . .70
OHAPTER II.
The natui'e of justifj'ing faith in particular, or of faith in the exercise of it, whereby we are justified — The heart's approbation of the way of the justification and salvation of sinners by Christ, with its acquiescency therein — The description given, explained and confirmed: — 1. From the nature of the gospel — Exemplified in its contrary, or the nature of unbelief, Prov. i. 30 ; Heb. ii. 3 ; 1 Pet. ii. 7 ;
1 Cor. i. 23, 24; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4 — What it is, and wherein it doth consist. 2. The design of God in and by the gospel— His own glory his utmost end in all things — The gloiy of his righteousness, grace, love, wisdom, etc. — The end of God in the way of the salvation of sinners by Christ, Rom. iii. 25; John iii. 16; 1 John iii. 16; Eph. i. 5, 6; 1 Cor. i. 24; Eph. iii. 10; Rom. i. 16, iv. 16; Eph. iii. 9;
2 Cor. iv. 6. 3. The nature of faith thence declared — Faith alone ascribes and gives this glory to God. 4. Order of the acts of faith, or the method in believing — Convictions previous thereunto — Sincere assent unto all divine revelations, Acts xxvi. 27 — The proposal of the gospel unto that end, Rom. x. 11-17; 2 Cor. iii. 18, etc. — State of persons called to believe — Justifying faith doth not consist in any one single habit or act of the mind or will — The nature of that assent which is the first act of faith — Approbation of the way of salvation by C'hi-ist, comprehensive of the special nature of justifying faith — What is included thei'e- in : — 1. A renunciation of all other ways, Hos. xiv. 2, 3 ; Jer. iii. 23 ; Ps. Ixxi. 16 ; Rom. X. 3. 2. Consent of the will unto this way, John xiv. 6. 3. Acquiescency of the heart in Gal, 1 Pet. i. 21. 4. Trust in God. 5. Faith described by trust — Tlie reason of it — Nature and object of this tinist inquired into — A double con- sideration of special mercy — Whether obedience be included in the nature of faith, or be of the essence of it — A sincere purpose of universal obedience in- separable from faith — How faith alone justifieth — Repentance, how required in and unto justification — How a condition of the new covenant — Perseverance in obedience is so also — Definitions of faith . . . . . .93
CHAPTER III.
Use of faith in justification ; various conceptions about it — By whom asserted as the instrument of it ; by whom denied — In what sense it is affirmed so to be — The expressions of the Scripture concerning the use of faith in justification ; what they are, and how they are best explained by an instrumental cause — Faith, how the instrument of God in justification — How the instrument of them that do believe — The use of faith expressed in the Scripture by apprehending, receiving; declared by an instrument — Faith, in what sense the condition of our justification — Signification of that tenn, whence to be learned . . 107